Electronic device data capture for property insurance quotes

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for capturing digital image data associated with a property for an insurance quote are described. According to certain aspects, a mobile device may enable a user to capture digital image data and/or a video stream and other information of house features and characteristics that may be used to determine insurability and estimated replacement cost of the property. The mobile device may enable the user to capture the information at the property location, which may eliminate the need for a manual assessment or characterization of home features by a homeowner. A back-end server may receive the data, analyze the data to generate an insurance quote (and/or insurance application) for the property, and transmit the insurance quote (and/or application) to the mobile device for presentation to the user. The mobile device may enable the user to select terms, deductibles, limits, and/or coverages, and ultimately approve a homeowner&#39;s insurance policy.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/734,329, filed on May 2, 2022 and entitled “ELECTRONIC DEVICE DATACAPTURE FOR PROPERTY INSURANCE QUOTES”, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 16/211,666, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,348,180,filed on Dec. 6, 2018 and entitled “ELECTRONIC DEVICE DATA CAPTURE FORPROPERTY INSURANCE QUOTES”, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/987,062, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,210,577, filed onJan. 4, 2016 and entitled “ELECTRONIC DEVICE DATA CAPTURE FOR PROPERTYINSURANCE QUOTES”, which claims benefit of the filing date of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/149,253, filed Apr. 17, 2015 andentitled “ELECTRONIC DEVICE DATA CAPTURE FOR PROPERTY INSURANCE QUOTES”.These disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentireties.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to capturing data pertaining toinsurance quotes for homeowners or other property owners via a digitalimaging application utilizing an electronic device. More particularly,the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for capturing andtranslating digital image data and other inputs (e.g., voice and/ortext) into data points to identify, measure, qualify, and countstructural elements, household fixtures, and personal property.

BACKGROUND

Preparing insurance quotes for property insurance coverage may typicallyrequire an insurance agent or other insurance provider representative tovisit the property in person. The agent may have to evaluate exteriorfactors, such as roof style, building construction (e.g., frame, brick,siding), and outbuildings. The agent may also need to evaluate andcatalog interior components, such as appliances, furniture, and otherpersonal possessions of the property owner. The availability of agentsmay significantly affect the timeliness of the insurance quote.

In other situations, the property owner may never complete an inventoryof personal items for insurance coverage, which may result inuncompensated losses in the event of a loss event. Accordingly, there isan opportunity to expedite property insurance quoting and to expand thecapacity of the agent in order to gain more new customers and to servethem in a more timely and efficient manner.

SUMMARY

The present embodiments may relate to, inter alia, obtaining structuredata, personal property data, and/or replacement cost informationthrough a mobile phone-based video application that uses objectrecognition, location awareness (i.e., “location services”), measurementfunctionality and augmented reality interaction/feedback (e.g.,computer-generated, interactive visual elements on the screen of amobile device, overlaying the live video image being captured).Continuous video (or a continuous video stream) may capture andtranslate images into data points to identify, measure, qualify, countstructural elements, household fixtures and/or personal property (seeexemplary mobile application mock-ups for video capture depicted in FIG.5 ).

Location awareness from the mobile device may be used as a substitutefor the entry of a Risk Location Address, and thus, as the basis for adetermination of location eligibility. An awareness of the exactlocation may also be used as an input to determining the progress of theoverall process (i.e., estimate of number of remaining rooms in which tocapture video, as a function of an estimate of square footage/number ofstories from exterior video). Location awareness from the mobile devicemay also be used for location verification.

The mobile device may also be used for progress feedback to the user(i.e. “You are 75% complete with your video walk-through. We suggestcapturing your second floor rooms next”). The progress feedback may beaudible, haptic, and/or visual. This progress feedback may besupplemented by indicating which objects the application had completelyassessed/identified, versus those that are still ambiguous, such as byusing an augmented reality overlay of computer generated icons (such ascheck mark icons) on top of the video feed that appears on the screen ofthe mobile device. This type of feedback could indicate to users theneed to move closer to an object and/or part of the room, increaselighting, linger for a longer time on a given room, steady their shot,etc.

The data and images captured may be used for several purposes, such asestablishing the basis for an “Estimated Replacement Cost Value” (forthe primary structure, any detached structures, and personal property);filling a virtual form (such as insurance application, a webpage, orother virtual form) in order to generate an insurance quote; and/or forcataloguing a customer's possessions in order to make claim adjustmentand replacement simpler for both the customer and the insurance company.Capture of exterior video on a property may also allow for theidentification and evaluation of detached structures, as well aspotential underwriting and safety concerns. These underwriting andsafety concerns could be communicated to whichever party is interested(e.g., to be used in eligibility determinations, or signally tocustomers as issue to remediate). Videos that return ambiguous concernscould be sent to sales associates and/or underwriters for closerinvestigation.

This process may be used as a substitute for an inspection/underwritingsurvey process. The “virtual inspection” video captured by the user mayeven be more thorough (and subject to further auditing) than aninspection report from a 3rd party vendor, sales associate, or aerialimagery service.

Unusual patterns, combinations, and unconventional materials andconstruction types may be used as the basis for triggering traditionalinspections of properties. Allowing customers to utilize the same datafor purposes beyond the initial quote may be an important value-add,particularly in the following ways: security analysis of the property(inadequate safety features, plants too close to house or doorways,non-structural fire hazards, out-of-date safety devices,furniture/fixtures not amenable to young children or animals); personalproperty replacement inventory; and/or allowing sales associates andunderwriters to have access to the video, including the ability to scrubthrough the video to visually-highlighted/flagged items of concernwithin the timeline of the video for quick assessment of ambiguities orissues.

The present embodiments may represent a significant process improvementfor non-English speakers, avoiding the difficulty of either reading ortranslating the insurance- or construction industry-specific jargoninvolved in the process. Commercial properties may be a particularlystrong application as well, as they are particularly difficult tounderwrite properly.

An enhancement to this application may involve using the preferredlanguage of the device to automatically translate the written feedbackappearing on screen. The data captured may also be used as the basis foroffering other relevant products. For example, if the video capturereveals a larger-than-normal amount of high-value goods, a PersonalArticles insurance policy may be suggested. Even if other policies arenot offered, the limits per coverage could be fine-tuned to fit theexact nature of the contents of a household (e.g., a greater number ofcomputers, but no jewelry or furs).

The present embodiments may provide (1) video capture for insuranceapplication question data, for the sake of providing an insurance quote;(2) alternatively, a customer-based underwriting survey/inspectionprocess, which may inform real-time systematic underwriting decisions;(3) video capture for object-based cataloging of personal property andhousehold fixtures; (4) the simultaneous capture and determination ofquote data, inspection data, and/or personal property inventory data;(5) real-time feedback about process progress (in video screen format,with augmented reality overlays); (6) substituting (location-aware)video capture for risk location eligibility determinations,identifications of underwriting concerns, and/or capture of spatialmeasurements; and/or (7) video capture-based product and safetyrecommendations.

The present embodiments may provide for a faster and more efficientmethod of processing requests for quotes for homeowners or otherproperty owners. Further, the present embodiments may enable theproperty owner or other user to capture the physical propertycharacteristics and quantifiable data required for an accurate insurancequote, rather than waiting for the agent to travel to the property toconduct an inspection. The captured data may be used as a basis for anestimated replacement cost value and/or preparing or generating aninsurance quote. The data may also be utilized for a security analysisof the property that may list inadequate safety features, fire hazards,out-of-date safety devices, and the like. Further, certain safetyconcerns may be flagged as requiring an on-site inspection by an agentand may be communicated to the user via the electronic device.Additionally, the present embodiments may provide, as a by-product ofthe data captured, a personal item inventory list that may be used tofile a claim in the event of a loss event. Further, an insuranceprovider may be able to suggest a personal articles policy if theinventory indicates a higher-than-normal quantity of high-value goods.In addition, coverage limits may be determined by an analysis of thecontents of the property.

The present embodiments may leverage an electronic device, such as amobile device (e.g., smartphone, smart watch, tablet, or laptop), thatis operable by a user. The electronic device may be capable of networkcommunication and may include a user interface with various input andoutput components. The electronic device may be configured to captureand analyze digital image data and to communicate content to the userand receive selections from the user. The embodiments may also utilize aback-end server to perform various analyses and determinations,including determining eligibility for property insurance, dataverification, insurance processing, and/or other functionalities.

In one aspect, a computer-implemented method in an electronic device ofidentifying components within a property for obtaining an insurancequote for a property insurance policy for an individual may be provided.The method may include capturing digital image data by an image sensorof the electronic device. The electronic device may display, as a livepreview feature via a user interface of the electronic device, thedigital image data captured by the image sensor. The method may includeanalyzing, using an object detection technique, the digital image datadisplayed via the user interface to automatically identify a set ofcomponents that are associated with the property. The method may alsoinclude populating an inventory list with the set of componentsidentified from the digital image data and preparing an application forthe property insurance policy, the application indicating the inventorylist. In addition, the method may include transmitting, via acommunication module of the electronic device, the application to aninsurance provider, the insurance provider using the application togenerate the insurance quote for the property insurance policy. Themethod may include additional, less, or alternate actions, includingthose discussed elsewhere herein.

In another aspect, an electronic device for identifying componentswithin a property for obtaining a quote for a property insurance policymay be provided. The electronic device may include a communicationmodule configured to communicate data, an image sensor, a memory storinga set of computer-executable instructions, and a user interfaceconfigured to display content and receive user selections. Theelectronic device may also include a processor adapted to interface withthe communication module, the memory, and the user interface. Theprocessor may be configured to execute the set of computer-executableinstructions to cause the processor to: cause the image sensor tocapture digital image data; cause the user interface to display, as alive preview feature, the digital image data captured by the imagesensor; and/or analyze, using an object detection technique, the digitalimage data to automatically identify a set of components that areassociated with the property. The processor may also be configured to:populate an inventory list with the set of components identified fromthe digital image data; prepare an application for the propertyinsurance policy, the application indicating the inventory list; and/ortransmit, via the communication module, the application to an insuranceprovider, the insurance provider using the application to generate thequote for the property insurance policy. The electronic device mayinclude additional, less, or alternate functionality, including thatdiscussed elsewhere herein.

Advantages will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in theart from the following description of the preferred embodiments, whichare shown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, thepresent embodiments may be capable of other and different embodiments,and their details are capable of modification in various respects.Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded asillustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures described below depict various aspects of the system andmethods disclosed therein. It should be understood that each figuredepicts an embodiment of a particular aspect of the disclosed system andmethods, and that each of the figures is intended to accord with apossible embodiment thereof. Further, wherever possible, the followingdescription refers to the reference numerals included in the followingfigures, in which features depicted in multiple figures are designatedwith consistent reference numerals.

FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary environment including components andentities associated with a computer-implemented method in an electronicdevice for obtaining an insurance quote for a property insurance policyfor an individual.

FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary diagram associated with capturing relevantdata for an insurance quote via an electronic device in accordance withsome embodiments.

FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary sequence associated with a walk-through tocapture relevant data for an insurance quote via an electronic device inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 4 depicts an exemplary flow diagram of capturing relevant data foran insurance quote via an electronic device in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary interface associated with capturing relevantdata for an insurance quote via an electronic device in accordance withsome embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an exemplary electronic device inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an exemplary back-end server in accordancewith some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The novel methods and systems disclosed herein generally relate totechniques and implementations for capturing, cataloging, and/oranalyzing structure data and personal property data that may be used todetermine replacement cost and/or insurability of a home, property, orbusiness. Replacement cost values (or estimated worth) may be calculatedby accessing, capturing, and analyzing data related to variousparameters associated with building structures, household fixtures, andpersonal property. An insurance provider may assess insurability of theproperty based upon a location of the property and/or other factors.

The present embodiments offer several advantages and benefits overconventional methods of obtaining data for property insurance quotes.Existing quoting procedures require an agent associated with aninsurance provider to travel to a property to conduct an inspection orsurvey. This need for an on-site inspection or survey by the agent maydelay the issuance of an insurance quote and/or an insurance policy.Alternatively or additionally, the insurance provider may require theproperty owner to fill out forms or otherwise manually provideinformation necessary for an insurance quote. However, the propertyowner may not have the specialized knowledge needed to accuratelyidentify and/or provide relevant information. In addition, the propertyowner may not have the knowledge of a professionally-trained agent as itrelates to various parameters related to structure components, quality,condition, and/or replacement cost (or actual or estimated worth orvalue). The systems and methods disclosed herein, therefore, may enablethe property owner or other individual associated with the property toutilize an electronic device to capture relevant data for the insuranceprovider to use to issue an insurance quote for property insurancecoverage.

A user may utilize the electronic device (such as a mobile device) tocapture various data or information associated with a property that maybe relevant for an insurance quote for the property (such as for acurrent home for the insured, or for a new or different house that theyare interested in purchasing) in lieu of an on-site inspection or surveyby the agent. In particular, the user may utilize the electronic deviceat the property to capture the data or information required for theinsurance quote. In one implementation, the electronic device maysupport a dedicated application configured to compile walkthroughinstructions associated with the property and communicate thewalkthrough instructions to the user. The application may be offered byor otherwise associated with the insurance provider. The electronicdevice may transmit any captured data or information to a back-endserver associated with the insurance provider.

The electronic device may be configured to capture, via an image sensor,digital image data associated with the property. The electronic devicemay associate the captured data with the property by automaticallyidentifying a location or address of the property, such as by using GPScoordinates. The electronic device may also display the captured digitalimage data via a user interface to effectively and efficiently guide theuser through a walkthrough of the property. In some implementations, theelectronic device may analyze the data, populate an associated inventorylist, prepare an application for property insurance, and/or transmit theapplication to an insurance provider.

In other implementations, the electronic device may collect the data,and transmit the data (of house features) to an insurance providerremote server for remote analysis and/or insurance applicationpreparation. The remote server may also generate a quote at the timethat the insurance application is prepared, and then transmit thatinformation back to the electronic device for review by the insurancecustomer. It should be appreciated that the digital image data asdescribed herein may also be referred to as “imaging data” or “digitalimaging data”. The captured data may also include other types of data,including voice recordings, text entries, voice-to-text data, and/or thelike.

The electronic device may analyze the digital image data using an objectdetection technique to automatically identify and classify a set ofcomponents that are associated with the property, such as identifyingvarious features and characteristics of a house. In analyzing thedigital image data, the electronic device may identify structuralelements, household fixtures, and/or personal property, as well asquantify replacement costs for any identified components. The electronicdevice may also populate an inventory list with the components and, insome embodiments, prepare an application for the property insurancepolicy that includes an inventory of those components. The electronicdevice may further transmit, via a communication module, the applicationto the insurance provider, which may examine the application andgenerate the quote for the insurance policy (or may examine a list offeatures and then prepare an insurance application and/or quote for theinsured). In embodiments, the insurance provider may facilitate apurchase transaction of the insurance policy with the user, such as viawireless communication and/or data transmission.

The systems and methods discussed herein address a challenge that isparticular to property management. In particular, the challenge relatesto a difficulty in ascertaining the presence of components and deviceson a property, as well as the values thereof. This is particularlyapparent when the components and devices are not cataloged. Inconventional circumstances, an agent associated with an insurancecompany must manually catalog or document the components and devices,which is an inconvenience to property owners and increases insurancecosts. In contrast, the systems and methods enable individuals to easilyand effectively record the presence of components and devices on aproperty, generate a corresponding insurance application, and providethe application to an insurance provider for accurate analysis.Therefore, because the systems and methods employ the collection,communication, and analysis of information that is conventionallycompiled manually, the systems and methods are necessarily rooted incomputer technology in order to overcome the noted shortcomings thatspecifically arise in the realm of property management.

Similarly, the systems and methods provide improvements in a technicalfield, namely, data collection and compiling. Instead of the systems andmethods merely being performed by hardware components using basicfunctions, the systems and methods employ complex steps that go beyondthe mere concept of simply retrieving and combining data using acomputer. In particular, the hardware components dynamically determinewalkthrough routes for a property, intelligently guide a user along thewalkthrough routes, capture images of the property, dynamicallydetermine whether certain components have been accounted for, populatean inventory list, generate an insurance application, and performadditional actions. This combination of elements further imposemeaningful limits in that the operations are applied to improve datacollection and compiling by detecting how and when certain actions needto be initiated, and facilitating the actions in a meaningful andeffective way.

According to implementations, the systems and methods may support adynamic, real-time or near-real-time analysis of any captured imagedata. In particular, the electronic device may dynamically guide a userthrough a walkthrough of a property, capture appropriate image data,analyze the image data in real time, and dynamically generate aninsurance application using information resulting from the analysis,among other functionalities. Accordingly, the user is afforded thebenefit of not having to wait for an inspector or agent to recordinventor data. Further, the user is afforded the benefit of being ableto transmit an insurance application in real time or near real time asthe image data is captured and analyzed.

Exemplary System

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system 100 for capturing digital imagedata associated with a property (also referred to herein as “thesystem”). The system 100 may include a user 110 and a property 130. Theuser 110 may use an electronic device 120 to capture various digitalimage data of the property 130. According to some embodiments, the user110 may be a property owner, a property manager, a renter of theproperty 130, an insurance provider representative, an insurance agent,or any other person authorized or otherwise able to capture the digitalimage data for the property 130. Further, the property 130 may be anytype of property such as a house, a townhouse, a condominium, or otherdwelling. The property 130 may include one or more outbuildings, such asone or more garages, one or more sheds, or the like.

The electronic device 120 may be a mobile device (such as a smartphone,a laptop, a tablet, a phablet, a smart watch, smart glasses, smartcontact lenses, and/or another wearable device), a desktop computer, orany other electronic or computing device capable of capturing digitalimage data, text data, and/or auditory data, and connecting to variouscommunication networks. The electronic device 120 may be owned by theuser 110, or leased or borrowed from an insurance provider. Theelectronic device 120 may execute a dedicated application configured tofacilitate capturing the digital image data associated with the property130.

The electronic device 120 may be configured with various componentscapable of capturing video and/or digital photos and storing thatdigital image data. In particular, the electronic device 120 may includean image sensor for capturing the digital image data and various storageor memory for storing the digital image data. The digital image data maybe associated with any visual aspects of the property 130 such as, butnot limited to, external building structures, internal rooms andcontents, and/or physical condition of the property. The electronicdevice 120 may also be configured with an audio recording system capableof recording and storing voice and/or other audio as an alternative orin addition to the digital image data. In addition, the electronicdevice 120 may be configured to convert voice to text and to digitallystore the text.

Further, the electronic device 120 may include a user interfaceconfigured to present information to the user and receive inputs fromthe user. In particular, the user interface may prompt the user to enterspecific information associated with the property and may present otherinformation for review by the user. The electronic device 120 mayanalyze the digital image data to identify, measure, qualify, and countstructural elements, household fixtures, house or yard features orcharacteristics, and/or personal property associated with the property130. In one implementation, the electronic device 120 may displaywalk-through directions to guide the user 110 throughout the property130. For example, the walk-through directions may be in the form ofprogress feedback (e.g., “You are 80% complete with your videowalk-through. We suggest capturing your second floor rooms next.”).

The electronic device 120 may transmit the captured digital image datato a back-end server 150 via a network or networks 140. In certainembodiments, the network(s) 140 may support any type of datacommunication via any standard or technology (e.g., GSM, CDMA, TDMA,WCDMA, LTE, EDGE, OFDM, GPRS, EV-DO, UWB, IEEE 802 including Ethernet,WiMAX, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and others). The network(s) 140 may also be oneor more private or local networks or dedicated frequency bands.

The server 150 may include one or more computers associated with theinsurance provider or operated by another organization associated withthe insurance provider. The server 150 may be any combination ofhardware and software components configured to facilitate and managevarious of the functionalities described herein. The server 150 may bephysically located at an insurance agency office, a computer facility,an office building, the agent's home, or any other facility authorizedby or associated with the insurance provider (such as an insuranceprovider remote server).

In operation, the server 150 may analyze the digital image data andperform a variety of associated functionalities. In particular, theserver 150 may determine a set of estimated replacement costs or values(or estimate actual or current value/worth, such as for antiques,paintings, or other items that may be one of kind), populate a virtualquote form, catalog the possessions or components identified in thedigital image data, facilitate any claim adjustments, and/or determinethe conditions and premium for an insurance quote. The server 150 maygenerate an insurance quote that includes insurance coverage for anycomponents, structures, and/or possessions identified in the digitalimage data captured by the electronic device 120. It should beappreciated that the insurance quote may include various terms andconditions for the underlying insurance policy, various types ofprotection plans and coverage levels, and/or various associatedpremiums.

The server 150 may transmit the insurance quote to the electronic device120. The electronic device 120 may display the insurance quote to theuser 110. The electronic device 120 may enable the user to select adesired coverage/premium level, and/or modify and/or accept theinsurance quote. In some situations, the entire quoting and acceptanceprocedure may be completed while the user 110 is on premises of theproperty 130.

The system 100 therefore provides a significant improvement in responsetime and flexibility in generating property insurance quotes byutilizing an electronic device 120 to capture data for an insurancequote rather than requiring an agent to conduct an on-site inspection ofa property. The system may include additional, less, or alternatecomponents, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

Exemplary Communications

FIG. 2 illustrates various exemplary interactions and communicationsthat may take place among a user, an electronic device 220 (such as theelectronic device 120 as discussed with respect to FIG. 1 ), and aserver 250 (such as the server 150 as discussed with respect to FIG. 1). Upon arriving at a property, the electronic device 220 may initiate(222) the video quote app. The electronic device 220 may also identify(224) the property. In particular, the electronic device 220 may use aGPS module or other location component to determine the current locationof the electronic device 220. The electronic device 220 may thenassociate that location with the specific location and/or identity ofthe property. In some implementations, the electronic device 220 mayenable the user to enter a street address or other identifyinginformation associated with the property.

The electronic device 220 may transmit (226) the location oridentification of the property to the server 250. The server 250 maythen determine (228) whether the property is eligible for insurancecoverage. It should be appreciated that in some implementations theelectronic device 220 may determine whether the property is eligible forinsurance coverage. Eligibility of property insurance may be based upona variety of factors. For example, the property may be subject tofrequent flooding or extremely high crime rates. If the property is notinsurable (“No”), the insurance quote procedure may end (229). Theserver 250 may also transmit (232) the eligibility status to theelectronic device 220, and the electronic device 220 may notify the userthat the property is not eligible.

If the property is insurable (“Yes”), the server 250 may notify (232)the electronic device 220 of the insurability of the property.Subsequently, the electronic device 220 may prompt (234) the user toenter a set of parameters related to the property. It should beappreciated that various parameters related to the property areenvisioned. For example, if the property is a house, the parameters forthe house may be a number and size of bedrooms, number and size ofbathrooms, number of floors, or type and size of basement (e.g., full,partial, finished, etc.). Additional parameters for the overall propertymay include the number and size of outbuildings, such as garage(s),shed(s), and/or various utility structures, such as cell towers. Theelectronic device 220 may also enable the user to enter data thatidentifies or describes the property (e.g., “Two story brick house withattached 2 car garage”, or “Single family house with detached garage”).

The electronic device 220 may utilize the parameters and other relevantdata described above to determine (236) walk-through instructions thatmay guide the user throughout the property to capture digital imagingdata necessary to generate an insurance quote for the property. In someimplementations, the electronic device 220 may determine thewalk-through instructions from any captured digital image dataassociated with an exterior of a building on the property. For example,the electronic device 220 may analyze the captured digital image data ofthe exterior of the house and determine that the house has two floorsand a walk-out basement. In addition, the electronic device 220 mayanalyze the digital image data to determine approximate externaldimensions and/or square footage of the house. Further, the electronicdevice 220 may analyze the digital image data to estimate the number andsize of rooms on each floor.

According to embodiments, the walk-through instructions may include anordering of rooms of the house or sections of the property. Theelectronic device 220 may determine the ordering according to apre-determined list or by a sequencing algorithm (e.g., by thecomplexity of the rooms, by the size of the rooms, alphabetically, or bysome other order). Alternatively, the electronic device 220 may enablethe user to manually input the ordering, with or without suggestions orprompts by the electronic device 220. It should be appreciated that thewalk-through instructions and the ordering thereof may also bedetermined by additional means not listed above.

The electronic device 220 may display (236) the walk-through sequencefor the user to follow in capturing digital image data of the property.The electronic device 220 may display the walk-through sequence insummary or list form (see FIG. 3 ), or the electronic device 220 maystore the sequence and display the sequence one step at a time.Alternatively, the electronic device 220 may embed the walk-throughsequence in a continuous video that guides the user with step-by-stepinstructions. The walk-through instructions may be video (e.g., animatedvideo or actual video of a person or persons providing instructions),audio, text, or any combination thereof. The electronic device 220 may,in some situations, instruct the user to start capturing digital imagedata for the interior of the house in a particular order as specified inthe walk-through instructions. For example, the walk-throughinstructions may prompt the user to initially capture digital image dataof a master bedroom or kitchen of the house.

The electronic device 220 may also instruct the user to capture digitalimage data for any objects in a given room or section in a certainorder. An example of data capture order for the objects in a kitchen maybe: the refrigerator, the range or cooktop, the wall oven, theover-the-range microwave or range exhaust hood, and the sink. In anotherexample, the walk-through instructions may prompt the user to start atthe top floor of the house. When the user is positioned on the top floorof the property, the electronic device 220 may instruct the user tocapture digital image data for the bedroom(s), the bathroom(s), and thecloset(s). After capturing data for all the rooms on the top floor, theelectronic device 220 may instruct the user to capture digital imagedata for the next floor below. After electronic device 220 captures thedigital image data of the top floor, the electronic device 220 may againprompt the user to go down to the next floor below. The electronicdevice 220 may repeat the procedure until digital image data is capturedfor all floors, including the basement.

Alternatively, the electronic device 220 may display a continuous livepreview window that may indicate an order or progression of capturingcomponents within the property, where the live preview window (i) mayserve to interactively guide the user throughout the property and/or(ii) may display an image or video being captured by a camera mounted onthe electronic device, such as depicted by, and discussed in relationto, FIG. 5 . For example, after the electronic device 220 has captureddigital image data for all of the expected rooms on a floor of thehouse, the electronic device 220 may prompt the user, “Are there anymore rooms on this floor? If so, enter a description of the room, andthen begin capturing it.” As another example, after the electronicdevice 220 has captured and recognized the most common objects in aroom, the electronic device 220 may ask the user, “Are there moreobjects in the room? If so, enter a description of an object and thentake a picture of it”. The electronic device 220 may utilize these typesof interactions to ensure that data for all rooms and objects in therooms are captured.

The electronic device 220 may be configured with an imaging sensor tocapture the digital image data of the property. The imaging sensor maycontinuously capture the digital image data during operation of adedicated application of the electronic device 220. Alternatively, theelectronic device 220 may automatically activate the imaging sensor atdifferent points in the walk-through instructions (e.g., when the userwalks into a new room). In another implementation, the electronic device220 may prompt the user to activate the imaging sensor to begincapturing the digital image data. After all the digital image data for aroom has been captured, the electronic device 220 may prompt the user todeactivate the imaging sensor. In yet another implementation, the usermay manually control operation of the imaging sensor.

As the electronic device 220 captures digital image data for a room(238), the electronic device 220 may also provide feedback to the user.Feedback may be determined by comparing captured digital image data tothe expected objects in each room. For example, a kitchen may beexpected to have a refrigerator, range, microwave, dishwasher, andcabinets. As another example, a bedroom may be expected to have, as aminimum, a bed and a dresser. A bathroom may be expected to have, as aminimum, a sink, a toilet, and a tub or shower. If the electronic devicedoes not capture or recognize digital image data associated with theminimum expected items, the electronic device 220 may prompt the user tocapture digital image data for those items.

Digital image data may be missing for a particular item for severalreasons. For example, the object detection feature of the electronicdevice may not recognize the item, such as if the captured image of theitem is not clear enough, or if the item is not included in the list ofexpected items. For further example, the item may have been asignificantly different style or type than the expected style or typefor that particular item. The electronic device therefore may not haveproperly cataloged the item. An additional example may occur when theelectronic device is not properly aimed at the item such that the itemwas not included in the digital image data. It should be appreciatedthat there may be additional causes for expected items not beingcaptured and properly cataloged.

The provided feedback may be affirmative, with an indication thatcertain objects were accurately captured and cataloged (e.g., acheckmark, as exemplified in FIG. 5 ). The feedback may also becorrective, with an indication that more digital image data is required.If any of the expected items are not in the room, the electronic device220 may prompt the user to enter information explaining the deviation.If an item was captured but not identified, the electronic device 220may instruct the user to capture digital image data of the item again.Examples of corrective feedback to accurately catalog an item mayinclude instructions to move closer to an item and/or to a certain partof the room, increase lighting, linger for a longer time on a given partof a room, zoom in on an item, steady the shot, etc.

After the electronic device 220 captures digital image data for thefirst room, the electronic device 220 may transmit (242) the digitalimage data to the server 250. In some implementations, the electronicdevice 220 may locally store any captured digital image data or videosof the first room for later transmission to the server 250, such asafter the entire walk-through is complete. The electronic device 220 mayexamine the digital image data to determine (244) if the walk-throughfor the first room is complete. In other implementations, the server 250may examine the digital image data to determine if the walk-through forthe room is complete.

If the digital image data captured for the room is not complete (“No”output), the electronic device 220 may prompt the user to capture moredigital image data (238). If the data capture for the first room iscomplete (“Yes” output), the electronic device 220 may determine (246)if digital image data needs to be captured for any additional rooms,such as if there are any remaining rooms on the walk-through. If thereare no remaining rooms on the walk-through (“No” output), the electronicdevice 220 may instruct the user to capture any remaining walk-throughdata for the property (248). If there are remaining rooms on thewalk-through (“Yes” output), the electronic device 220 may instruct theuser to relocate to the next room of the walk-through and capture (238)the digital image data for that next room.

After the electronic device 220 and/or the server 250 evaluate thedigital image data captured for that room for completeness (242, 244),the electronic device 220 may prompt (238) the user to capture anyadditional digital image data for that room. When the digital image datahas been captured for all the rooms (“No” response for 246), theelectronic device 220 may prompt the user to capture digital image dataor enter additional data (248) for the property. After the electronicdevice 220 has captured all the data for the property, the electronicdevice 220 may transmit (252) the captured data to the server 250. Theserver 250 may analyze the data, generate a property insurancepolicy/quote, and transmit the policy/quote to the electronic device220. The electronic device 220 may display the policy/quote to the userand enable the user to select various terms and conditions, proposemodifications to the policy/quote, accept the policy/quote, and/orfacilitate other functionalities. Additional, fewer, or alternatecommunications may be used, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

Exemplary Walk-Through Sequence

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary walk-through sequence 300 of an exampleproperty such as a house that the electronic device may display to theuser. The electronic device may display an ordered sequence (e.g., via auser interface) according to various techniques, such as in summary oroutline form as depicted in FIG. 3 . The walk-through sequence 300 mayinclude a sequence number for each room, which in combination maycorrespond to the order of the walk-through. The walk-through sequence300 may also include a column with a room/section/facility description.In some implementations, the electronic device may display the sequencesin order, one at a time, without revealing the future steps.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , sequence number “1” of the walk-throughsequence 300 corresponds to the exterior of the house. In displayingsequence number “1”, the electronic device may instruct the user tocapture digital image data of the front of the house, the back of thehouse, the right side of the house, and/or the left side of the house.The exterior walk-through may also include capturing digital image dataof the roof, the chimney, the gutters, and the garage doors.

The interior walk-through may include instructions on a room-specificbasis, according to what objects may be expected in each type of room.For example, a kitchen walk-through sequence may include expectedobjects such as a refrigerator, a range or a cooktop, a range exhausthood or over-the-range microwave, a wall oven, a counter-top microwave,a dishwasher, a ceiling fan, and cabinets. As another example, a bedroomwalk-through sequence may include expected objects such as a bed, adresser, a nightstand, a mirror, and a ceiling fan. In a third example,a dining room walk-through sequence may include expected objects such asa dining room table and chairs, a buffet, a china cabinet, and achandelier.

It should be appreciated that the electronic device may displaywalk-through instructions via text, audio, and/or continuous video. Theelectronic device may also indicate progress or status in thewalk-through sequence (e.g., “70% complete”). In addition to detectingobjects and cataloging the objects, the electronic device may alsocalculate measurements associated with the exterior and interior of thehouse. In particular, the electronic device may measure the exteriordimensions of the house and/or may measure the dimensions of a room,which the electronic device may use to estimate a square footage of eachroom and of the house as a whole. In some implementations, theelectronic device may enable the user to enter dimensions of the roombefore capturing the objects in the room. The sequence may includeadditional, less, or alternate actions or instructions, including thosediscussed elsewhere herein.

Exemplary Method

Referring to FIG. 4 , depicted is a block diagram of an exemplary method400 of identifying components within a property. According toembodiments, the components may be identified for purposes of obtaininga quote for a property insurance policy for an individual. The method400 may be facilitated by an electronic device that may be in direct orindirect communication with a back-end server, such as a back-end serverassociated with an insurance provider. The electronic device may supportexecution of an application associated with the insurance provider.Further, the electronic device may enable a user or individual (e.g., anowner of the property) to make various selections and facilitate variousfunctionalities.

The method 400 may begin when the electronic device identifies (block405) a set of parameters associated with the property. In embodiments,the set of parameters may correspond to the number of floors, the numberand types of rooms, the number of outbuildings, building constructionmaterials, and/or other information or characteristics that may berelevant to the property. The electronic device may automaticallyidentify the set of parameters, interface with the back-end server toretrieve the set of parameters, and/or may enable the individual tomanually input the set of parameters. The electronic device may identifythe set of parameters based upon a location of the property and/or otherinformation associated with the property.

The electronic device may generate (block 410) a set of walk-throughinstructions based upon the set of parameters. In embodiments, the setof walk-through instructions may correspond to an ordering of rooms orareas of the property that the individual may follow when using theelectronic device to capture digital image data. The electronic devicemay capture (block 415) digital image data using an image sensor whenthe electronic device is located in a particular room or area of theproperty as specified by the set of walk-through instructions. Incapturing the digital image data, the electronic device may display(block 420), as a live preview feature via a user interface, the digitalimage data. In this regard, the individual is able to view the captureddigital image data in real-time and therefore assess differentcomponents that may be included in the digital image data.

The electronic device may analyze (block 425), using an object detectiontechnique, the digital image data to automatically identify a set ofcomponents associated with the property. The electronic device may alsoindicate (block 430), via the user interface, the identified set ofcomponents. In embodiments, the electronic device may indicate anidentified component (e.g., displaying the text “Refrigerator”) alongwith an affirmative indication of the identification (e.g. a checkmark).

It should be appreciated that various object detection techniques foridentifying the set of components are envisioned, such as various deeplearning techniques; auto encoders; multilayer perceptron (MLP) models;various other neural networks including recurrent neural networks (RNN),restricted Boltzmann machines (RBM), self-organizing maps (SOM) orself-organizing feature maps (SOFM), or convolutional neural networks(CNN); and/or other types of models, techniques, algorithms,calculations, or the like. Further, it should be appreciated thatvarious components are envisioned, such as personal property articles,structural elements of the property, fixtures of the property, and/orothers. In one embodiment, the electronic device may transmit thedigital image data to the back-end server, which may identify the set ofcomponents using one or more techniques as discussed herein, and providean indication of the set of components to the electronic device.

The electronic device may determine (block 435) whether there areadditional walk-through instructions. The determination may be basedupon whether the individual has navigated through the rooms or areas ofthe property specified by the set of walk-through instructions. In oneimplementation, the electronic device may automatically identify itslocation, associate its location with a currently-accessed area of theproperty, determine a suggested subsequent area of the property for theindividual to navigate, and/or display the indication of the suggestedsubsequent area. In another implementation, the electronic device mayenable the user to manually input completed rooms/areas of the set ofwalk-through instructions, and/or may determine whether there areadditional walk-through instructions accordingly. If the electronicdevice determines that there are additional walk-through instructions(“YES”), processing may return to block 415 at which the electronicdevice may capture digital image data in subsequent room/area asspecified by the walk-through instructions. The electronic device mayalso display an indication of the subsequent room/area via the userinterface.

In contrast, if the electronic device determines that there are notadditional walk-through instructions (“NO”), the electronic device maypopulate (block 440) an inventory list with the set of componentsidentified from the digital image data. If the electronic device isunable to identify a component from the digital image data, theelectronic device may display an indication(s) (e.g., an image) of anunrecognized component(s). The electronic device may also enable (block445) the user to input an identification(s) of the unrecognizedcomponent(s) via the user interface.

The electronic device may prepare (block 450) an application for aproperty insurance policy for the property. In preparing theapplication, the electronic device may calculate an estimatedreplacement cost value (ERCV) for each of the set of components includedin the inventory list such that the application may include an aggregatevalue of the set of components. In some implementations, if one or moreof the components is not recognized, the electronic device may updatethe application to indicate that a manual inspection for the property isneeded. Similarly, if a threshold number of components are recognized(or if the number of unrecognized components is below a thresholdamount), then the electronic device may update the application toindicate that a manual inspection is not needed.

The electronic device may also transmit (block 455) the application toan insurance provider, which may examine the application and accordinglyperform any insurance policy processing. In particular, the insurancepolicy may calculate a premium or quote for the insurance policy,facilitate modification or acceptance of the insurance policy with theindividual, and/or perform other functionalities. The individual mayultimately approve the quote for the insurance policy and the propertymay be covered by the insurance policy without the need for a manualinspection. The method may include additional, less, or alternateactions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

Exemplary User Interface

FIG. 5 illustrates exemplary interfaces 500 that may be displayed on theelectronic device. The electronic device may support a continuous video,text, audio, or a combination of display methods to interface with theuser. The electronic device may display progress via a timer, asdepicted in example interface 594. The electronic device may alsodisplay a title or name for the room or structure being cataloged. Theelectronic device may provide suggestions as to what to capture next.The suggestion may instruct the user to zoom in or zoom out or to movecloser or farther away.

In addition, the interface 594 may indicate a recording status to remindthe user that the electronic device is actively recording data. Anadditional example interface 596 may illustrate an exterior datacapture, where a progress indicator tracks time remaining, and/or asuggestion instructs the user to capture the back yard data next. Theinterface 596 may also indicate that the record function is active (on).A further example interface 598 illustrates a cataloging progress ofitems and fixtures in a room (as shown: a kitchen).

A check mark may indicate that the object was successfully cataloged,such as the microwave, oven, sink, and cooktop island. A question markmay indicate an ambiguous object that was not yet cataloged, such as theexhaust hood or an object in the lower part of the picture. Theelectronic device may provide the user with a suggestion to tap thequestion marked items and manually identify them. Alternatively, theelectronic device may prompt the user to get a closer view of theobject, or the electronic device may prompt the user to enter adescription via text or audio recording. The exemplary interfaces mayinclude additional, less, or alternate functionality, including thatdiscussed elsewhere herein.

Exemplary Electronic Device

FIG. 6 illustrates a diagram of an exemplary electronic device 620 (suchas the electronic device 120 discussed with respect to FIG. 1 ) in whichthe functionalities as discussed herein may be implemented. It should beappreciated that the electronic device 620 may be configured to connectto public and/or private networks 640, as discussed herein.

The electronic device 620 may include a processor 622 as well as amemory 678. The memory 678 may store an operating system 679 capable offacilitating the functionalities as discussed herein as well as a set ofapplications 675 (i.e., machine readable instructions). For example, oneof the set of applications 675 may be an insurance quote application 690configured to interface with a back-end server that may be located at aninsurance agency. It should be appreciated that one or more otherapplications 692 are envisioned, such as one or more applicationsconfigured to capture digital image data, analyze the data, prepare aninsurance policy/quote, and/or present the policy/quote to the user forevaluation and acceptance.

The processor 622 may interface with the memory 678 to execute theoperating system 679 and the set of applications 675. According to someembodiments, the memory 678 may also store digital image data 680 thatis captured by the electronic device 620. In some implementations, theinsurance quote application 690 may store the digital image data 680 inthe memory 678. The memory 678 may include one or more forms of volatileand/or non-volatile, fixed and/or removable memory, such as read-onlymemory (ROM), electronic programmable read-only memory (EPROM), randomaccess memory (RAM), erasable electronic programmable read-only memory(EEPROM), and/or other hard drives, flash memory, MicroSD cards, andothers.

The electronic device 620 may further include a communication module 677configured to communicate data via one or more networks 640. Accordingto some embodiments, the communication module 677 may include one ormore transceivers (e.g., WWAN, WLAN, and/or WPAN transceivers)functioning in accordance with IEEE standards, 3GPP standards, or otherstandards, and configured to receive and transmit data via one or moreexternal ports 676.

Further, the communication module 677 may include a short-range networkcomponent (e.g., an RFID reader) configured for short-range networkcommunications. For example, the communication module 677 may receivelocation data via the network 640 or an external GPS network. Forfurther example, the communication module 677 may transmit data to andreceive data from a back-end server via the network 640. The electronicdevice 620 may further include a set of sensors 684 (e.g., a locationmodule, an audio recording system, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, etc.).In addition, the electronic device 620 may include an image sensor 685for capturing digital image data.

The electronic device 620 may further include a user interface 681configured to present information to a user and/or receive inputs fromthe user. As shown in FIG. 6 , the user interface 681 may include adisplay screen 682 and I/O components 683 (e.g., ports, capacitive orresistive touch sensitive input panels, keys, buttons, lights, LEDs,speakers, microphones). According to some embodiments, the user mayaccess the electronic device 620 via the user interface 681 to makevarious selections, log into any of the set of applications 675, and/orperform other functions. In some embodiments, the electronic device 620may perform the functionalities as discussed herein as part of a “cloud”network or may otherwise communicate with other hardware or softwarecomponents within the cloud to send, retrieve, or otherwise analyzedata.

In general, a computer program product in accordance with an embodimentmay include a computer usable storage medium (e.g., standard randomaccess memory (RAM), an optical disc, a universal serial bus (USB)drive, or the like) having computer-readable program code embodiedtherein, wherein the computer-readable program code may be adapted to beexecuted by the processor 622 (e.g., working in connection with theoperating system 679) to facilitate the functions as described herein.In this regard, the program code may be implemented in any desiredlanguage, and may be implemented as machine code, assembly code, bytecode, interpretable source code or the like (e.g., via C, C++, Java,Actionscript, Objective-C, Javascript, CSS, XML). In some embodiments,the computer program product may be part of a cloud network ofresources. The electronic device may include additional, less, oralternate components and functionality, including that discussedelsewhere herein.

Exemplary Server

FIG. 7 illustrates a diagram of an exemplary back-end server 750 (suchas the back-end server 150 as discussed with respect to FIG. 1 ) inwhich the functionalities as discussed herein may be implemented. Itshould be appreciated that the server 750 may be associated with aninsurance provider, as discussed herein.

The server 750 may include a processor 722, as well as a memory 778. Thememory 778 may store an operating system 779 capable of facilitating thefunctionalities as discussed herein as well as a set of applications 775(i.e., machine readable instructions). For example, one of the set ofapplications 775 may be an operation processing application 790configured to analyze digital image data and determine completeness ofdata capture for rooms or buildings. It should be appreciated that otherapplications 792 are envisioned.

The processor 722 may interface with the memory 778 to execute theoperating system 779 and the set of applications 775. According to someembodiments, the memory 778 may also store digital image data 780received from the electronic device. Although not shown in FIG. 7 , thememory 778 may also store location data such that the operationprocessing application 790 may continuously update the location of theelectronic device. The memory 778 may include one or more forms ofvolatile and/or non-volatile, fixed and/or removable memory, such asread-only memory (ROM), electronic programmable read-only memory(EPROM), random access memory (RAM), erasable electronic programmableread-only memory (EEPROM), and/or other hard drives, flash memory,MicroSD cards, and others.

The server 750 may further include a communication module 777 configuredto communicate data via one or more networks 740. According to someembodiments, the communication module 777 may include one or moretransceivers (e.g., WWAN, WLAN, and/or WPAN transceivers) functioning inaccordance with IEEE standards, 3GPP standards, or other standards, andconfigured to receive and transmit data via one or more external ports776. For example, the communication module 777 may receive, via thenetwork 740, digital image data from the electronic device. The server750 may further include a user interface 781 configured to presentinformation to a user at the back-end and/or receive inputs from theuser at the back-end. As shown in FIG. 7 , the user interface 781 mayinclude a display screen 782 and I/O components 783 (e.g., ports,capacitive or resistive touch sensitive input panels, keys, buttons,lights, LEDs, speakers, microphones). According to some embodiments, theback-end user may access the server 750 via the user interface 781 toanalyze and/or to process the digital image data captured by theelectronic device and/or perform other functions. In some embodiments,the server 750 may perform the functionalities as discussed herein aspart of a “cloud” network or may otherwise communicate with otherhardware or software components within the cloud to send, retrieve, orotherwise analyze data.

In general, a computer program product in accordance with an embodimentmay include a computer usable storage medium (e.g., standard randomaccess memory (RAM), an optical disc, a universal serial bus (USB)drive, or the like) having computer-readable program code embodiedtherein, wherein the computer-readable program code may be adapted to beexecuted by the processor 722 (e.g., working in connection with theoperating system 779) to facilitate the functions as described herein.In this regard, the program code may be implemented in any desiredlanguage, and/or may be implemented as machine code, assembly code, bytecode, interpretable source code or the like (e.g., via C, C++, Java,Actionscript, Objective-C, Javascript, CSS, XML). In some embodiments,the computer program product may be part of a cloud network ofresources. The server may include additional, less, or alternatefunctionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

Exemplary Method

In one aspect, a computer-implemented method in an electronic device ofidentifying components within a property for obtaining a quote for aproperty insurance policy for an individual may be provided. The methodmay include (1) capturing digital image data by an image sensor of theelectronic device; (2) displaying, as a live preview feature via a userinterface of the electronic device, the digital image data captured bythe image sensor; (3) analyzing, by a processor using an objectdetection technique, the digital image data to automatically identify aset of components that are associated with the property; (4) populatingan inventory list with the set of components identified from the digitalimage data; (5) preparing, by the processor, an application for theproperty insurance policy, the application indicating the inventorylist; and/or (6) transmitting, via a communication module of theelectronic device, the application to an insurance provider, theinsurance provider using the application to generate the quote for theproperty insurance policy. As a result, the online customer experienceis enhanced. The method may include additional, less, or alternateactions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

For instance, preparing the application for the property insurancepolicy may include calculating an estimated replacement cost value(ERCV) for each of the set of components included on the inventory list.Analyzing the digital image data may include automatically identifyingat least one of: a set of personal property articles, a set ofstructural elements of the property, and a set of fixtures of theproperty. Additionally or alternatively, analyzing the digital imagedata may include transmitting the digital image data to the insuranceprovider via the communication module, the insurance provider configuredto identify the set of components that are associated with the property;and/or receiving, from the insurance provider, an indication of the setof components.

The method may include identifying a location of the electronic device;associating the location of the electronic device with acurrently-accessed area of the property; determining, based upon thecurrently-accessed area of the property, a suggested subsequent area ofthe property through which the user may navigate; and/or displaying, viathe user interface, an indication of the suggested subsequent area ofthe property.

The method may include identifying a set of parameters associated withthe property; and/or determining, based upon the set of parameters, aset of walk-through instructions associated with capturing the digitalimage data. The method may include, in response to analyzing the digitalimage data: examining the set of walk-through instructions to identify asubsequent area of the property through which the user may navigate;and/or displaying, via the user interface, an indication of thesubsequent area of the property.

The method may include, responsive to identifying one of the set ofcomponents, displaying, via the user interface, an indication that theone of the set of components has been identified. The method may includedisplaying, via the user interface, an indication of an unrecognizedcomponent that is not recognized using the object detection technique;enabling the individual to input, via the user interface, anidentification of the unrecognized component; and/or further populatingthe inventory list with the identification of the unrecognizedcomponent. The method may include determining that at least one of theset of components is not recognized; and/or updating the application forthe property insurance policy to indicate that a manual inspection forthe property is needed.

Exemplary Electronic Device

In one aspect, an electronic device for identifying components within aproperty for obtaining a quote for a property insurance policy may beprovided. The device may include a communication module configured tocommunicate data; an image sensor; a memory storing a set ofcomputer-executable instructions; a user interface configured to displaycontent and receive user selections; and/or a processor adapted tointerface with the communication module, the memory, and the userinterface, and configured to execute the set of computer-executableinstructions to cause the processor to: cause the image sensor tocapture digital image data, cause the user interface to display, as alive preview feature, the digital image data captured by the imagesensor, analyze, using an object detection technique, the digital imagedata to automatically identify a set of components that are associatedwith the property, populate an inventory list with the set of componentsidentified from the digital image data, prepare an application for theproperty insurance policy, the application indicating the inventorylist, and/or transmit, via the communication module, the application toan insurance provider, the insurance provider using the application togenerate the quote for the property insurance policy. The device mayinclude additional, less, or alternate functionality, including thatdiscussed elsewhere herein.

For instance, to prepare the application for the property insurancepolicy, the processor may be configured to calculate an estimatedreplacement cost value (ERCV) for each of the set of components includedon the inventory list. To analyze the digital image data, the processormay be configured to analyze the digital image data to automaticallyidentify at least one of: a set of personal property articles, a set ofstructural elements of the property, and a set of fixtures of theproperty. To analyze the digital image data, the processor may beconfigured to: transmit the digital image data to the insurance providervia the communication module, the insurance provider configured toidentify the set of components that are associated with the property,and/or receive, from the insurance provider via the communicationmodule, an indication of the set of components.

The processor may be further configured to: identify a location of theelectronic device, associate the location of the electronic device witha currently-accessed area of the property, determine, based upon thecurrently-accessed area of the property, a suggested subsequent area ofthe property through which the user may navigate, and/or cause the userinterface to display an indication of the suggested subsequent area ofthe property.

The processor may be configured to: identify a set of parametersassociated with the property, and/or determine, based upon the set ofparameters, a set of walk-through instructions associated with capturingthe digital image data. The processor may be configured to, in responseto analyzing the digital image data: examine the set of walk-throughinstructions to identify a subsequent area of the property through whichthe user may navigate, and/or cause the user interface to display anindication of the subsequent area of the property. The processor may befurther configured to, in response to identifying one of the set ofcomponents: cause the user interface to display an indication that theone of the set of components has been identified.

The processor may be configured to: cause the user interface to displayan indication of an unrecognized component that is not recognized usingthe object detection technique, enable the individual to input, via theuser interface, an identification of the unrecognized component, and/orfurther populate the inventory list with the identification of theunrecognized component. The processor may be configured to: determinethat at least one of the set of components is not recognized, and/orupdate the application for the property insurance policy to indicatethat a manual inspection for the property is needed.

Exemplary Computer-Implemented Method

In one aspect, a computer-implemented method in a mobile device ofidentifying components or features within or associated with a house forobtaining a quote for a homeowners or other insurance policy for anindividual may be provided. The method may include (1) capturing digitalimage data or video by an image sensor or camera mounted within themobile device; (2) displaying, as a continuous video stream (or otherlive preview feature) via a user interface of the mobile device, thedigital image data or video captured by the image sensor or camera; (3)analyzing, by a processor (mounted within the mobile device) using anobject detection, optical character recognition, or object recognitiontechnique, the digital image data to automatically identify a componentor a feature associated with the interior or exterior of the house; (4)transmitting, via a communication module and/or transceiver of themobile device, the digital image data or video and/or data indicatingthe component or feature identified to an insurance provider remoteserver, the insurance provider remote server using the data received togenerate the quote for the homeowners insurance policy; (5) receiving,via a communication module and/or transceiver of the mobile device, thequote for the homeowners insurance policy from the insurance providerremote server; and/or (6) displaying or presenting, on a display of themobile device, the quote for the homeowners insurance policy generatedfrom computer analysis of the digital image data or video to facilitateenhancing the online customer experience. The method may includeadditional, less, or alternate actions, including those discussedelsewhere herein.

For instance, the method may include populating an inventory list, bythe processor of the mobile device, with a set of components or featuresidentified from the digital image data or video; preparing, by theprocessor of the mobile device, a virtual application (or other form)for the property insurance policy, the application indicating theinventory list; and/or transmitting, via a communication module ortransceiver of the mobile device, the virtual application and/orinventory list to the insurance provider remote server, the insuranceprovider remote server using the virtual application and/or inventorylist to generate the quote for the homeowners insurance policy.Preparing the virtual application for the homeowners insurance policymay include calculating an estimated replacement cost value (ERCV) foreach of the set of components or features included on the inventorylist. In one embodiment, digital image data is also captured of personalbelongings, and the insurance provider also calculates an estimatedreplacement cost value (ERCV) for each personal belonging; and generatesa quote for a personal articles insurance policy.

Analyzing the digital image data or video may include automaticallyidentifying at least one of: a set of personal property articles, a setof structural elements of the property, and a set of fixtures of theproperty. Analyzing the digital image data or video may includetransmitting the digital image data or video to the insurance providerremote server via the communication module and/or transceiver of themobile device, the insurance provider remote server configured toidentify the set of components that are associated with the property;and/or receiving, from the insurance provider remote server, anindication of the set of components.

The method may include identifying, via one or more processors, alocation of the mobile device (such as from a GPS location of the mobiledevice); associating, via the one or more processors, the location ofthe mobile device with a currently-accessed area of the property;determining, via the one or more processors, based upon thecurrently-accessed area of the property, a suggested subsequent area ofthe property for which the individual is to navigate and take furtherdigital images of; and/or displaying, via the user interface of themobile device, an indication of the suggested subsequent area of theproperty to be photographed or video-taped.

The method may include identifying, via one or more processors, a set ofparameters associated with the house; and/or determining, via one ormore processors, based upon the set of parameters, a set of walk-throughinstructions associated with capturing the digital image data or video.The method may include, in response to analyzing the digital image data:examining the set of walk-through instructions to identify a subsequentarea of the property through which the user may navigate; and/ordisplaying, via the user interface of the mobile device, an indicationof the subsequent area of the property. The method may includeresponsive to identifying one of the set of components, displaying, viathe user interface, an indication that the one of the set of componentshas been identified. The method may include displaying, via the userinterface, an indication of an unrecognized component or feature that isnot recognized using the object detection, object recognition, oroptical character recognition technique; enabling the individual toinput, via the user interface, an identification of the unrecognizedcomponent; and/or further populating the inventory list with theidentification of the unrecognized component or feature. The method mayalso include determining that at least one of the set of components orfeatures is not recognized; and/or updating the application for theproperty insurance policy to indicate that a manual inspection for theproperty is needed.

Exemplary Computer-Implemented Methods

In one aspect, a computer-implemented method of providing an insurancequote may be provided. The method may include (1) providing, via one ormore processors (such as processors within a mobile device), acontinuous video stream on a mobile device display; (2) identifying, viathe one or more processors, one or more household features orcharacteristics being captured by the continuous video stream (such asvia object detection, object recognition, or optical characterrecognition techniques); (3) displaying or overlaying, via the one ormore processors, a check icon on each household feature orcharacteristic that is positively categorized as having a replacementcost; (4) displaying or overlaying, via the one or more processors, asecond icon on each household feature or characteristic that is notpositively categorized and that needs additional video to be properlycategorized or recognized; (5) transmitting, via the or more processors,data regarding the categorization or identification of the one or morehousehold features to a remote server associated with an insuranceprovider; (6) receiving, via the one or more processors, a quote for aninsurance product based upon the categorization or identification of theone or more household features from the remote server; and/or (7)displaying, via the one or more processors, the insurance quote on themobile device display for the insured's review, modification, orapproval such that more accurate matching of insurance risk to insurancecost is facilitated. The method may include additional, less, oralternate actions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

For instance, the method may include transmitting, via the one or moreprocessors, a GPS (Global Positioning System) location to the remoteserver to facilitate the remote server verifying that the house iseligible for homeowners insurance. The method may include transmitting,via the one or more processors, a GPS (Global Positioning System)location to the remote server to facilitate the remote serverdetermining that a house actually exists at that location, or verifyingthe condition of the house at that location, such as by searching thirdparty databases, websites, or real estate listings.

The method may include audibly or visually directing the insured, viathe one or more processors, to move closer to a household feature orcharacteristic that is presently unrecognizable from computer analysisof the current video stream.

In another aspect, a computer-implemented method of identifyinghousehold features may be provided. The method may include (1)presenting, via one or more processors, a continuous video stream of ahouse, or portion thereof, on a display of a mobile device; (2)providing, via the one or more processors, a first visual indication(such as a green check mark icon) for each household feature that ispositively identified or characterized, and/or which a replacement costhas been determined (such as superimposing the first visual indicationover each household feature identified within the continuous videostream or digital image(s)); (3) providing, via the one or moreprocessors, a second visual indication (such as a red check mark icon)for each household feature that is not positively identified orcharacterized, and/or which a replacement cost has not been determined(such as superimposing the second visual indication over each householdfeature identified within the continuous video stream or digitalimage(s)) to indicate to the user that addition video for thosehousehold features is needed to help identify or determine replacementcosts for those items; (4) transmitting, via the one or more processors,data related to the identification and/or characterization of thehousehold features to a remote server associated with an insuranceprovider to facilitate the remote server estimating a quote for aninsurance product based upon the household features identified; (5)receiving, via the one or more processors, an insurance quote from theremote server based upon the household features identified; and/or (6)presenting, via the one or more processors, the insurance quote on themobile device display for a user's review, approval, or modification tofacilitate enhancing the online customer experience. The method mayinclude additional, less, or alternate actions, including thosediscussed elsewhere herein.

For instance, the method may include transmitting, via the one or moreprocessors and/or an associated transceiver, a GPS (Global PositioningSystem) location to the remote server to facilitate the remote serververifying that the house is eligible for homeowners insurance. Themethod may include transmitting, via the one or more processors, a GPS(Global Positioning System) location to the remote server to facilitatethe remote server verifying that a house actually exists at thatlocation, or the verifying the condition of the house at that location,such as by searching third party databases, websites, or real estatelistings. The method may include audibly or visually directing, via theone or more processors, the user to move closer to a household featurethat is presently unrecognizable via computer analysis of the currentvideo stream or digital image(s).

In another aspect, a computer-implemented method of identifyinghousehold features may be provided. The method may include (1)presenting, via one or more processors, a continuous video stream (ordigital image(s)) of a house, or portion thereof, on a display of amobile device; (2) dynamically identifying, via the one or moreprocessors, a visual indication (such as a green check mark icon) for ahousehold feature that is positively identified or characterized, and/orwhich a replacement cost has been determined (such as superimposing thevisual indication or icon over the household feature identified withinthe continuous video stream (or other digital image(s)); (3) providing,via the one or more processors, audible or visual directions to the userto facilitate capturing video or digital images of additional householdfeatures (such as “Please move to another room;” “Move to the kitchen;”“Move to the master bath or bedroom;” etc.); (4) transmitting, via theone or more processors, data related to the identification and/orcharacterization of the household features to a remote server associatedwith an insurance provider to facilitate the remote server estimating aquote for an insurance product (such as homeowners or renters insurancepolicy, or a personal articles insurance policy) based upon thehousehold features identified; (5) receiving, via the one or moreprocessors, an insurance quote from the remote server based upon thehousehold features identified and/or characterized; and/or (6)presenting, via the one or more processors, the insurance quote on themobile device display for a user's review, approval, or modification tofacilitate enhancing the online customer experience. The method mayinclude additional, less, or alternate actions, including thosediscussed elsewhere herein.

Exemplary Graphical User Interface

In one aspect, a graphical user interface for capturing householdfeatures for insurance-related purposes may be provided. The graphicaluser interface may include or present: (1) a continuous video streamshowing an area of a house; (2) a check icon overlaid or superimposed oneach household feature that is positively categorized or characterized,and/or for which a replacement cost is positively determined; and/or (3)another icon overlaid or superimposed on each household feature that isnot positively categorized or characterized, and/or for which areplacement cost is not positively determined to provide a visualindication to a user that additional or better video is needed for thosehousehold features yet to be positively identified. The graphical userinterface may present audible or visual directions to a user to capturevideo of additional household features, such as directions to move toanother area inside or outside of a house, or move closer to varioushousehold features and get additional digital images/video. Thegraphical user interface may further present an insurance quote that wasgenerated based upon the captured video (or digital images) and/orhousehold features (and/or replacement costs or estimated value thereof)determined or identified from computer analysis of the captured video(or digital images). The graphical user interface may includeadditional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussedelsewhere herein, such as depicted in FIG. 5 .

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

Although the following text sets forth a detailed description ofnumerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the legalscope of the description is defined by the words of the claims set forthat the end of this patent and equivalents. The detailed description isto be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possibleembodiment since describing every possible embodiment would beimpractical. Numerous alternative embodiments may be implemented, usingeither current technology or technology developed after the filing dateof this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims.

Any reference to “home” or “property” is meant to be exemplary and notlimiting. The systems and methods described herein may be applied to anyproperty, such as offices, farms, lots, parks, and/or other types ofproperties or buildings. Accordingly, “homeowner” may be usedinterchangeably with “property owner.”

Although the following text sets forth a detailed description ofnumerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the legalscope of the invention is defined by the words of the claims set forthat the end of this patent. The detailed description is to be construedas exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment, asdescribing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if notimpossible. One could implement numerous alternate embodiments, usingeither current technology or technology developed after the filing dateof this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims.

Throughout this specification, plural instances may implementcomponents, operations, or structures described as a single instance.Although individual operations of one or more methods are illustratedand described as separate operations, one or more of the individualoperations may be performed concurrently, and nothing requires that theoperations be performed in the order illustrated. Structures andfunctionality presented as separate components in exemplaryconfigurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component.Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single componentmay be implemented as separate components. These and other variations,modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of thesubject matter herein.

Additionally, certain embodiments are described herein as includinglogic or a number of routines, subroutines, applications, orinstructions. These may constitute either software (e.g., code embodiedon a non-transitory, machine-readable medium) or hardware. In hardware,the routines, etc., are tangible units capable of performing certainoperations and may be configured or arranged in a certain manner. Inexemplary embodiments, one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone,client or server computer system) or one or more hardware modules of acomputer system (e.g., a processor or a group of processors) may beconfigured by software (e.g., an application or application portion) asa hardware module that operates to perform certain operations asdescribed herein.

In various embodiments, a hardware module may be implementedmechanically or electronically. For instance, a hardware module maycomprise dedicated circuitry or logic that is permanently configured(e.g., as a special-purpose processor, such as a field programmable gatearray (FPGA) or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) toperform certain operations. A hardware module may also compriseprogrammable logic or circuitry (e.g., as encompassed within ageneral-purpose processor or other programmable processor) that istemporarily configured by software to perform certain operations. Itwill be appreciated that the decision to implement a hardware modulemechanically, in dedicated and permanently configured circuitry, or intemporarily configured circuitry (e.g., configured by software) may bedriven by cost and time considerations.

Accordingly, the term “hardware module” should be understood toencompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that is physicallyconstructed, permanently configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarilyconfigured (e.g., programmed) to operate in a certain manner or toperform certain operations described herein. Considering embodiments inwhich hardware modules are temporarily configured (e.g., programmed),each of the hardware modules need not be configured or instantiated atany one instance in time. For instance, where the hardware modulescomprise a general-purpose processor configured using software, thegeneral-purpose processor may be configured as respective differenthardware modules at different times. Software may accordingly configurea processor, for instance, to constitute a particular hardware module atone instance of time and to constitute a different hardware module at adifferent instance of time.

Hardware modules may provide information to, and receive informationfrom, other hardware modules. Accordingly, the described hardwaremodules may be regarded as being communicatively coupled. Where multipleof such hardware modules exist contemporaneously, communications may beachieved through signal transmission (e.g., over appropriate circuitsand buses) that connect the hardware modules. In embodiments in whichmultiple hardware modules are configured or instantiated at differenttimes, communications between such hardware modules may be achieved, forinstance, through the storage and retrieval of information in memorystructures to which the multiple hardware modules have access. Forinstance, one hardware module may perform an operation and store theoutput of that operation in a memory device to which it iscommunicatively coupled. A further hardware module may then, at a latertime, access the memory device to retrieve and process the storedoutput. Hardware modules may also initiate communications with input oroutput devices, and may operate on a resource (e.g., a collection ofinformation).

The various operations of exemplary methods described herein may beperformed, at least partially, by one or more processors that aretemporarily configured (e.g., by software) or permanently configured toperform the relevant operations. Whether temporarily or permanentlyconfigured, such processors may constitute processor-implemented modulesthat operate to perform one or more operations or functions. The modulesreferred to herein may, in some exemplary embodiments, compriseprocessor-implemented modules.

Similarly, the methods or routines described herein may be at leastpartially processor-implemented. For instance, at least some of theoperations of a method may be performed by one or more processors orprocessor-implemented hardware modules. The performance of certain ofthe operations may be distributed among the one or more processors, notonly residing within a single machine, but deployed across a number ofmachines. In some exemplary embodiments, the processor or processors maybe located in a single location (e.g., within a home environment, anoffice environment, or as a server farm), while in other embodiments theprocessors may be distributed across a number of locations.

The performance of certain of the operations may be distributed amongthe one or more processors, not only residing within a single machine,but deployed across a number of machines. In some exemplary embodiments,the one or more processors or processor-implemented modules may belocated in a single geographic location (e.g., within a homeenvironment, an office environment, or a server farm). In otherexemplary embodiments, the one or more processors orprocessor-implemented modules may be distributed across a number ofgeographic locations.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, discussions herein using wordssuch as “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining,”“presenting,” “displaying,” or the like may refer to actions orprocesses of a machine (e.g., a computer) that manipulates or transformsdata represented as physical (e.g., electronic, magnetic, or optical)quantities within one or more memories (e.g., volatile memory,non-volatile memory, or a combination thereof), registers, or othermachine components that receive, store, transmit, or displayinformation.

As used herein any reference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment”means that a particular element, feature, structure, or characteristicdescribed in connection with the embodiment is included in at least oneembodiment. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in variousplaces in the specification are not necessarily all referring to thesame embodiment.

The terms “insurer,” “insuring party,” and “insurance provider” are usedinterchangeably herein to generally refer to a party or entity (e.g., abusiness or other organizational entity) that provides insuranceproducts, e.g., by offering and issuing insurance policies. Typically,but not necessarily, an insurance provider may be an insurance company.

Although the embodiments discussed herein relate to home or personalproperty insurance policies, it should be appreciated that an insuranceprovider may offer or provide one or more different types of insurancepolicies. Other types of insurance policies may include, for instance,condominium owner insurance, renter's insurance, life insurance (e.g.,whole-life, universal, variable, term), health insurance, disabilityinsurance, long-term care insurance, annuities, business insurance(e.g., property, liability, commercial auto, workers compensation,professional and specialty liability, inland marine and mobile property,surety and fidelity bonds), automobile insurance, boat insurance,insurance for catastrophic events such as flood, fire, volcano damageand the like, motorcycle insurance, farm and ranch insurance, personalliability insurance, personal umbrella insurance, community organizationinsurance (e.g., for associations, religious organizations,cooperatives), personal articles, and/or other types of insuranceproducts. In embodiments as described herein, the insurance providersprocess claims related to insurance policies that cover one or moreproperties (e.g., homes, automobiles, personal property), althoughprocessing other insurance policies is also envisioned.

The terms “insured,” “insured party,” “policyholder,” “customer,”“claimant,” and “potential claimant” are used interchangeably herein torefer to a person, party, or entity (e.g., a business or otherorganizational entity) that is covered by the insurance policy, e.g.,whose insured article or entity (e.g., property, life, health, auto,home, business) is covered by the policy. A “guarantor,” as used herein,generally refers to a person, party or entity that is responsible forpayment of the insurance premiums. The guarantor may or may not be thesame party as the insured, such as in situations when a guarantor haspower of attorney for the insured. An “annuitant,” as referred toherein, generally refers to a person, party or entity that is entitledto receive benefits from an annuity insurance product offered by theinsuring party. The annuitant may or may not be the same party as theguarantor.

As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,”“including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, areintended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For instance, a process,method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is notnecessarily limited to only those elements but may include otherelements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method,article, or apparatus.

In addition, use of the “a” or “an” are employed to describe elementsand components of the embodiments herein. This is done merely forconvenience and to give a general sense of the description. Thisdescription, and the claims that follow, should be read to include oneor at least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it isobvious that it is meant otherwise.

This detailed description is to be construed as examples and does notdescribe every possible embodiment, as describing every possibleembodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. One could implementnumerous alternate embodiments, using either current technology ortechnology developed after the filing date of this application.

What is claimed:
 1. A computer-implemented method in an electronicdevice of identifying components within a property for obtaining a quotefor a property insurance policy for an individual, the methodcomprising: capturing digital image data by an image sensor of theelectronic device, the digital image data depicting a portion of theproperty; displaying, as a live preview feature via a user interface ofthe electronic device, the digital image data captured by the imagesensor; analyzing, by a processor using an object detection technique,the digital image data to automatically identify a set of componentspresent in the portion of the property; displaying, in the userinterface and using an augmented reality overlay on a live video imageaccording to the digital image data captured by the image sensor, (i) aset of indications respectively associated with the set of components,and (ii) a suggested subsequent portion of the property for imagecapture, wherein the augmented reality overlay of the set of indicationsis generated using sensor data from at least one additional sensor ofthe electronic device; and populating an inventory list with the set ofcomponents identified from the digital image data.
 2. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: preparing,by the processor, an application for the property insurance policy, theapplication indicating the inventory list.
 3. The computer-implementedmethod of claim 2, wherein preparing the application for the propertyinsurance policy comprises: calculating an estimated replacement costvalue (ERCV) for each of the set of components included on the inventorylist.
 4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein analyzingthe digital image data comprises: analyzing the digital image data toautomatically identify at least one of: a set of personal propertyarticles, a set of structural elements of the property, and a set offixtures of the property.
 5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,wherein analyzing the digital image data comprises: transmitting thedigital image data to a remote server via a communication module, theremote server configured to identify the set of components that areassociated with the property; and receiving, from the remote server viathe communication module, an indication of the set of components.
 6. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: identifyinga location of the electronic device; and associating the location of theelectronic device with the portion of the property.
 7. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: identifyinga set of parameters associated with the property; and determining, basedupon the set of parameters, a set of walk-through instructionsassociated with capturing the digital image data.
 8. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising: examiningthe set of walk-through instructions to identify the portion of theproperty; and displaying, via the user interface, an indication of theportion of the property.
 9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,further comprising: displaying, via the user interface, an indication ofan unrecognized component that is not recognized using the objectdetection technique; receiving, via the user interface, anidentification of the unrecognized component; and further populating theinventory list with the identification of the unrecognized component.10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:determining that at least one of the set of components is notrecognized; and updating an application for the property insurancepolicy to indicate that a manual inspection for the property is needed.11. An electronic device for identifying components within a propertyfor obtaining a quote for a property insurance policy, comprising: animage sensor; at least one additional sensor; a memory storing a set ofcomputer-executable instructions; a user interface configured to displaycontent and receive user selections; and a processor interfacing withthe image sensor, the at least one additional sensor, the memory, andthe user interface, and configured to execute the set ofcomputer-executable instructions to cause the processor to: cause theimage sensor to capture digital image data depicting a portion of theproperty, cause the user interface to display, as a live previewfeature, the digital image data captured by the image sensor, analyze,using an object detection technique, the digital image data toautomatically identify a set of components present in the portion of theproperty, cause the user interface to display, using an augmentedreality overlay on a live video image according to the digital imagedata captured by the image sensor, (i) a set of indications respectivelyassociated with the set of components, and (ii) a suggested subsequentportion of the property for image capture, wherein the augmented realityoverlay of the set of indications is generated using sensor data fromthe at least one additional sensor, and populate an inventory list withthe set of components identified from the digital image data.
 12. Theelectronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is furtherconfigured to: prepare an application for the property insurance policy,the application indicating the inventory list.
 13. The electronic deviceof claim 12, wherein to prepare the application for the propertyinsurance policy, the processor is configured to: calculate an estimatedreplacement cost value (ERCV) for each of the set of components includedon the inventory list.
 14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein toanalyze the digital image data, the processor is configured to: analyzethe digital image data to automatically identify at least one of: a setof personal property articles, a set of structural elements of theproperty, and a set of fixtures of the property.
 15. The electronicdevice of claim 11, further comprising: a communication module; andwherein to analyze the digital image data, the processor is configuredto: transmit the digital image data to a remote server via thecommunication module, the remote server configured to identify the setof components that are associated with the property, and receive, fromthe remote server via the communication module, an indication of the setof components.
 16. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein theprocessor is further configured to: identify a location of theelectronic device, and associate the location of the electronic devicewith the portion of the property.
 17. The electronic device of claim 11,wherein the processor is further configured to: identify a set ofparameters associated with the property, and determine, based upon theset of parameters, a set of walk-through instructions associated withcapturing the digital image data.
 18. The electronic device of claim 17,wherein the processor is further configured to: examine the set ofwalk-through instructions to identify the portion of the property, andcause the user interface to display an indication of the portion of theproperty.
 19. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processoris further configured to: cause the user interface to display anindication of an unrecognized component that is not recognized using theobject detection technique, receive, via the user interface, anidentification of the unrecognized component, and further populate theinventory list with the identification of the unrecognized component.20. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is furtherconfigured to: determine that at least one of the set of components isnot recognized, and update an application for the property insurancepolicy to indicate that a manual inspection for the property is needed.